Marty Supreme is the newest A24 production, starring the new A-list actor, Timothée Chalamet. Directed by Josh Safdie, the film is loosely based on the story of real-life table tennis champion Marty Reisman. While Marty works as a very persuasive shoe salesman at his uncle’s store, he rises through the ranks of the New York table tennis scene. Even though his uncle offers him the store’s management position, Marty refuses, with his sights set on the British Open. With the tournament approaching, Marty demands the money that he says he is owed, and after being refused by his uncle, he holds his coworker at gunpoint to steal the necessary money. Not looking back, Marty heads to Europe, focused on nothing besides his personal aspirations.
Marty’s Jewish identity is prominently featured throughout the film, from his Star of David necklace to his family identity and community. Marty is a complicated and brash character, which has led many to question why Jewish director Josh Safdie would give this character such a strong Jewish identity. Through analysis of his other works, however, this portrayal was carefully planned and considered. As in his previous film, Uncut Gems, Safdie does not want to emphasize the suffering of post-WWII Jewish Americans. In Uncut Gems, Adam Sandler plays a compulsive gambler, similar in nature to Chalamet in Marty Supreme. Safdie instead wishes to portray the real-life experiences and struggles of a Jewish American, in this case, through the body of a rough and controversial 1950s table tennis player.
Chalamet delivered one of his best performances as Marty Mauser, rivaling his work in Dune and A Complete Unknown. He fully embraced the role, practicing his table tennis for six years before filming. Additionally, because the role of Marty Mauser required prescription glasses, he wore blurring contacts to wear real prescription lenses. Similar to Marty’s obsession with victory, Chalamet has been on his own “pursuit for greatness,” as he said at the SAG Awards last year. This role gets him one step closer to that goal, playing it as well as any current actor could. Supporting actors also put on world-class performances, with Odessa A’zion as Rachel and Gwyneth Paltrow as Kay Stone. Some critics attack the film for its self-centered main character or lack of emotional depth, despite Marty’s clear evolution as an anti-hero, discovering what’s truly important. No matter the critical reviews, Marty Supreme is an incredibly entertaining story, with a performance from Timothee Chalamet that will be long remembered.
